Whenever I hit a bump, it seems as if the rear end swerves to one side or the other. At first I thought it was because the tires were wider, but geez, sometimes I'm afraid it's going to cross into the other lane (depending on bump size). I haven't noticed in change in handling on turns (except if I hit a bump). And it seems as if I can't get the car to go in a straight line, like I'm always correcting. I'm pretty sure I need an alignment, but what about the rear wheels?

sounds like those bushings... if it started happening all of the sudden and its bad like you said, go under it and check the lateral links, rear shocks and mounts too... check everything.. doesn't sound safe at all.

not really all-of-a-sudden, but more post-5-lug-swap, which is why I'm thinking those bushings. So, am I right in thinking that those bushings can cause the rearend to do that?

you're right... I think you should check everything though. How are your rear shocks?



On one of my 86's (5 lug), I had the same problem of the "floating rear" and it happened over every bump... it was a combo of the bushings and the rear shocks being shot. Just by putting in new rear shocks, it made it 100% better.

I'm pretty sure all my shocks are bad, and I planned on replacing them sometime in the future ($$, you know). But it didn't float until after I did the swap. While I was under there, I didn't notice anything to worry about, although I should probably jack it back up and make sure everything is still toight.

My buddies 7 did that, it was the bushings..

i would make sure all the bolts are tight, 2 rights dont make a left you know

yup, happened to my dads g/f. A bolt back there was not tightened in the suspension...

yah, my friend too, gd took his car to aligned and they left the bolts loose!

another question: can those particular bushings be changed on the car, or do I have to take those SOB hubs off again?

take those swine out

ok, banzai informed me that the hubs can be removed from the halfshafts with a dead-blow hammer. How are they replaced? Do they just shove back on, or do I need something special?



and just for clarification, is a dead-blow hammer like a rubber mallet?

I dont know, I've never done it https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...#>/biggrin.png



just read about it here and the Mazdatrix write up.. I need to but it looks like such a bitch I don't want to deal yet https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...O_DIR#>/11.gif

THose bushings are old and are junk. Replace them with some Delrin bushings and be very happy. Mazdatrix has them for about $40. That rear steer crap wasn't even good when it was new. Add about 15 years or so and well over 100,000 to the rubber and that'll add up to junky bushings.

they come off pretty easy, and putting them back together is even easier, you just put the splined shaft back into the hub as far as you can by hand and when you torque down the nut it pulls it all back together again. The hardest part on my car was removing the nut the first time, was rusted on enough to make the impact fail.

they come off pretty easy, and putting them back together is even easier, you just put the splined shaft back into the hub as far as you can by hand and when you torque down the nut it pulls it all back together again. The hardest part on my car was removing the nut the first time, was rusted on enough to make the impact fail. [/quote]

great info. I'm sure mine will come off easily, because I had a shop remove it not too long ago. This actually makes me feel much better about doing this.

is this the location of the bushing in question?

yes.



I have the process documented photographically here:

rb rear steer eliminator bushings install photos

yeah, i've had my derilin bushings sitting in the box for the last 2 months b/c i dont have to tools to change this crap out, and i know my mechanic will charge over $200 to do it, so i'd rather save the money and do it myself.



question: how do i torque the hub bolt back down to 490 ft-lbs? how do you measure that, my wrench only goes to 150 lol

yeah, i can't drive over 55 mph when the highway is wet b/c mine are so worn, i almost loose control from random fish-tailing.



i want to get this done before next semester autox with a&m scc...

I don't remember the torque value from the fsm but whatever it is, you can use simple leverage to multiply your torque.



if it's say 400 ft-lbs, you can take a rachet, and use a pipe, the measure the distance from the pivot to your weight, and multiply your weight accordingly... say if you weigh 200lbs, and hang off the pipe, you can go 2 feet out to obtain 400 ft-lbs. get it?

yeah, i get it, ghetto, but i guess that will have to work



and after looking at mazdatrix's writeup, it doesn't look too bad. although i dont really want to cut off my dust shield, and i dont want to have to pull off the hub



any suggestions?

I don't remember cutting anything.



I don't consider using a lever to multiply torque as 'ghetto', it's intelligent.

its relatively intelligent, although ghetto compared to using an air wrench/rachet/whatever with a specific torque setting on it

wow, that will really help me out in the future. Thanks for the info!

i dont see why its ghetto either. Its a good way to measure it when you have no other means. And at that level it does not have to be exactly on the mark.

Just because it's not using a special tool, with precise increments (although you could actually be precise), someone might think it's ghetto. I think that would work great, especially if you have a breaker bar marked in feet, and you know your own weight.

ITS NOT "GHETTO", its basic physics 101. BTW, it is a QA Approved procedure to use torque multiplying devices for Nuclear Level I,II and III as well as SUBSAFE LEVEL work.

i don't think it's 400 ft/lbs... i think its 230 ft/lbs.



i can't remember... iahve the bushings sitting on my desk for the past 3 months as well, i need to change the rear bearings at the same time.